102 – Forging and Completion of a Stainless Fukugozai Series Kitchen Knife

Description

In this two-day course, students will experience a perfect balance of hands-on involvement as well as lecture topics. Upon completion of the course, students will have created their own personal laminated stainless Fukugozai Series kitchen knife and will possess a basic understanding of the blade forging and finishing process.

Hands-on techniques will include:

Selection of steel

Forge maintenance

Forging to final thickness

Scale removal

Cold forging

Straightening

Tempering

Attaching handles

Sharpening

Hand sanding to completion

Lecture topics will include:

Philosophy of Japanese metallurgy

The five criteria for superior cutlery

Expose on laminates vs. homogeneous steel blades

Regional variation of traditional Japanese bladesmithing

Practical parameters of cutlery design

Slide show of bladesmithing in Japan

Limited to four students. Travel and lodging are at the student’s expense.